Panorama Living Color at Gerena Montessori & the Arts Magnet School, MA Posted: Apr 2014 Posted by: Mats Inc.

It’s All Water Under the Bridge

“The goal of this project was to convert the dark, dreary tunnel into a fun, uplifting space for all to enjoy.  That’s right; this project is beneath a highway.”- Ms. Kathy Cloud, M. Frank Higgins & Co., Inc.

By summer of 2013, renovations on the public Gerena Montessori & the Arts Magnet School in Springfield, Massachusetts were well underway.  The dim tunnel that runs under the highway and through the school was finally getting a long overdue renovation.  An unconventional space with an elevated walkway open to the community of Springfield, this tunnel was 8,000 square feet of unused space which the school hoped to turn into a playground.  The city hired CB Architects to re-imagine the moldy, concrete environment into something wonderful.

Capitalizing on the bridge created by the access walkway, Jim Hanifan of CB Architects designed a spectacular space with cascading rivers and faux bridges using Panorama Rubber Tiles.  Award-winning flooring contractor M. Frank Higgins & Co., Inc. expertly crafted the details and installed the intricate design using Lotus & Lily, Bahama Breeze, Shenandoah and several other colors from the Panorama Living Color collection.

“First time [installing Panorama]… [We] loved it!” exclaimed Ms. Cloud.

The recycled rubber tiles saturate the space with brilliant color.  The flooring is durable and long-lasting enough to withstand the unending parade of hundreds of elementary school children, and offers protection during those inevitable falls from the jungle gym.  As an added benefit not originally intended as part of the design, the rubber tiles also minimize the noise level and echoing which is usually heightened by the tunnel.

Categories: Architect & Designer News, Case Studies, Education Flooring